"What I love above all else is working with the material. I imagine graphic compositions with architectural lines, in which abstract, colorful forms sit alongside the texture of the materials."
ALBA
STUDIO ALBA
Tufting, Bordeaux (33)
Alba shares her journey with us, and how working with wool became an obvious choice for her to express her art.
Tell us your story, how did you find your calling?
I have always been drawn to drawing and manual activities. I have studied and worked in various fields related to creation, notably in fashion and interior design.
After a general course in visual creation, I studied footwear design and pattern making at the Institut Colbert in Cholet, then worked in this field, both in design and manufacturing. Later, I completed training in interior decoration and worked as a color consultant for the French house Ressource.
Over these years, I have developed a particular affinity for colors and materials, especially textiles, and my interest in design, decoration, and interior architecture has continued to grow. I therefore created Studio Alba to dedicate myself to my artistic universe. The choice of wool naturally imposed itself as a working medium for the texture and relief it provides, and for the multiple techniques associated with it.
Today, I mainly work with wool using the tufting technique to create paintings and tapestries, but always in search of discoveries, I am also exploring other materials such as paint or clay to enrich my work.
How would you describe your style and your artistic approach in a few words?
What I love above all else is working with materials. I imagine graphic compositions with architectural lines, in which abstract, colorful shapes sit alongside the texture of the materials. Blending art and craftsmanship, I work primarily with wool using various tools, playing with textures, shapes, and colors to give body and relief to my paintings and tapestries.
While the majority of my works are created using tufted wool, my thirst for exploration and my attraction to fabrication and the creative process also lead me to experiment with linocut, ceramics, and painting. Each technique has a specific look, texture, and relief inherent to the material which, when combined with graphic compositions, appeals not only to the sense of sight but also to the sense of touch.
What themes or subjects inspire you the most in your work?
I draw inspiration as much from primitive art and primal forms as from architecture or landscapes, the lines of which I break down and deconstruct to create abstract assemblages in a search for formal balance.
How do you work?
I work from home, in my Bordeaux apartment transformed into a studio. Whatever the final medium of the piece, I always start by creating a moodboard. This moodboard serves as a reference for my sketches, which I often envision as a series. I then transfer them onto my canvas, or I cut out templates of the shapes before working with the material.
I create series of works based on my current research, but I also accept commissions for personalized, bespoke projects tailored to your desires and your space.
Do you have a specific technique or unique know-how? Without revealing all your secrets, have you developed your own methods and techniques?
Tufting (or hand tufting) is a modern carpet-making process derived from weaving, originating in Asia. This artisanal practice has become widely popular in recent years. It consists of inserting yarn using a tufting gun into a backing fabric stretched over a frame. The work is then glued on the back to secure the piece, and the front is trimmed and sculpted to achieve depth and beautiful finishes.
Tufting offers great creative freedom and allows for the creation of pieces as diverse as they are unique by playing with shapes, colors, materials, textures, and relief.
Tell us about your daily life, your constraints, your joys, your successes…
I don't really have a work routine; I alternate between intense periods of creation and phases of reflection, daydreaming... There is also a whole administrative and communications side that takes up a lot of time, and that is by far the most difficult part.
Being your own boss requires a lot of time and organization; it can sometimes stir up a lot of doubts and fears, but it is an intense and exciting experience, where every small success is a source of joy and pride!
